The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has issued a strong warning to the government, urging immediate action to address the growing menace of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey. The Bishops cautioned that failure to act could spark street protests led by the Church and its members.
Speaking on WTV’s Afternoon Show, The State, hosted by Gabriel Nii Ankrah Otoo, on September 17, 2025, the Secretary General of the Conference, Rev. Father Clement Kwasi Adjei, said the government must declare a state of emergency in galamsey-affected areas as a matter of national urgency.
“We don’t mind going on the street if the government fails to listen to us on issuing a state of emergency on galamsey,” Rev. Fr. Adjei stated.
He stressed that the Bishops are not demanding a nationwide declaration but a targeted emergency focused on hotspot areas where illegal mining has caused the most severe destruction.
The Conference has repeatedly raised alarm over the devastating impact of galamsey on Ghana’s rivers, forests, and farmlands. According to Rev. Fr. Adjei, the government’s slow and insufficient response is allowing irreparable damage to continue unchecked.
He warned that if urgent measures are not implemented, the Church, alongside lay members, will not hesitate to organize peaceful demonstrations to demand decisive action.
Rev. Fr. Adjei’s remarks on The State have intensified growing pressure on the government to move beyond rhetoric and implement concrete interventions, particularly in areas where existing anti-galamsey efforts have failed.
By Papa Kwamena….
Source: Wesleyannews.com
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